In typical cellular wireless communications, each end-user device (e.g., cell phone, personal digital assistant, wirelessly equipped personal computer, etc.) subscribes to service from a given cellular wireless carrier known as the device's home carrier. In practice, the home carrier will operate one or more radio access networks including base stations that radiate to define wireless coverage areas in which the end-user devices can operate. When a device enters into coverage of its home carrier's network, the device may then register with the home carrier network and may then engage in wireless communication service via the home carrier's network, and the home carrier may accordingly charge or debit a service account of the device.
Although a typical cellular carrier may strive to offer wireless coverage throughout a region, such as nationally in the United States for instance, the carrier may not actually operate radio access networks in all locations throughout the region. To fill in gaps where the carrier does not operate its own radio access networks and thus where the carrier does not itself provide coverage, the carrier will typically enter into roaming agreements with other carriers. Under a roaming agreement, another carrier may agree to provide service to the home carrier's subscriber devices when the devices operate in the roaming carrier's network. Thus, when a device enters into coverage of a roaming carrier's network, the device may register for service with the roaming carrier's network and may then engage in wireless communication service via the roaming carrier's network. In accordance with the roaming agreement, the roaming carrier may then report that usage to the home carrier and may charge the home carrier for the usage. In turn, the home carrier may then pass that charge along to the service account of the device.